


Dov'è l'Artista?

by eiichisan



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Assassins vs. Templars, Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Gun Violence, Murder, Rescue Missions, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:28:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25376185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eiichisan/pseuds/eiichisan
Summary: Before pursuing his mission to fight the Templars, Ezio needs to have a word with his closest and most loyal friend, but he only finds the artist's workshops in Florence and Venice ransacked.  Leonardo is the only fraternal bond he has left, and the mere thought that something may have happened to him leads the Assassin to Rome to seek him out, only to anticipate his confrontation with the Borgias much sooner than expected.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Dov'è l'Artista?

Almost twenty years took him to rebuild the Villa. For all those years his uncle Mario turned to be as a father to him, sharing his knowledge and legacy with him. Hopefully, his duty as an assassin would have ended soon; he could work on having a family, in aging normally, quietly. Even a candidate to share his days was in the picture, so graceful, pretty, and intelligent. 

But all shattered down to pieces because of his mistake. That terrible mistake to let Rodrigo Borgia live cost him to lose it all, once again: his uncle Mario, his home in Villa, the lives of lots of villagers, the powerful weapons that his best friend designed and created for him, all of it, gone in a matter of minutes, by the same blood of the man whose life he decided to spare. 

He cursed himself so many times, cursed luck, cursed fate, and cursed heavens. But he could not sit and mourn his losses, not now, not ever, because he must stand for the remnants of his family and destroy the Borgia dynasty.

His usual escape to reality was the workshop of this oldest friend, Leonardo Da Vinci, where he passed hours chatting, watching him work in any random commission or project, or simply just having a nap. He always departed relieved, cheered up, his soul at ease. 

For short was the time he spent there with him, it was the closest place to a warm home he had, as his relationship with his family was cold and distant, torn apart by the murder of his father and brothers.

Before departing to Rome, he went to Leonardo's workshop in _Venezia_ and was not able to find him. He even forced entry to the place only to find everything empty, old rags, and blank canvas scattered around. Worried, he returned to _Firenze_ , and the outcome was the same. The artist always managed to smile and comfort him, and that was all he needed now, before departing to Rome and hunt the Borgias down. 

– Leonardo, where have you gone?

After freeing Caterina Sforza from _Castello_ Sant’Angelo, and getting rid of a serial killer, close to the docks, he heard a mysterious voice calling him.

– Pst! Ezio, over here!

Who was this? It was probably a trap, he was not careless enough to go down guarded and find the source of the voice.

– Ezio! Come here!

It sounded as much as the person was secretly calling him, whispering at him. Once he got close, he saw a strange box on the floor and felt a presence behind him. He quickly turned around well-aware to face the attacker.

– _Chi é lá?_

Surprised, his chestnut eyes met the heavenly blue of his best friend’s, clearly affected by the time and age, and approaching him gladly.

– Ezio!

– Leonardo! –he exclaimed with a smile.

– I knew you were behind the break-in at Sant'Angelo! It is good to see you, friend.

– Come here.

Ezio opened his arms offering an embrace to the _artista_. They both hugged each other.

– Forgive me. The Borgias have commandeered my services –he said dimly– Actually, they would have killed me had I refused.

– What do they want?

– War machines. I have constructed weapons for all the Borgia guards and other terrible monstrosities besides. They are very well designed, Ezio. 

He quickly took out a rolled parchment and handed it over to the assassin– Here. The names of the Templars overseeing their construction. Cesare intends to supply his army with my creations. You must dismantle them.

– Grazie– responded Ezio taking the roll in his hands. I will take care of the plans and the machines.

– There is far graver news, I am afraid– said the artista lowering his voice– They have the Apple.

Ezio lowered his head, hiding his face under his hood for an instant.

– Yes, I know. I gave the Apple to Mario.

– I am sorry, Ezio– Leonardo rested a hand over his friend’s shoulder, in an attempt to provide a little comfort– Cesare left it in my hands to study, to make it work. Then Rodrigo took it from me, I know not where.

– I will recover it in time. Leonardo, I have lost all the Codex inventions you once fashioned for me.

– Hmm. Remaking them will be easy, I never forget a design. But you must compensate me for the raw material.

– Really? –Ezio asked in surprise– They are not paying you at _il Vaticano_?

– Very... very little– He walked away from the _assassino_ , overlooking the surroundings and aimed for a nearby bench– If we are to do this, we must appear to not meet at all.

He kneeled over the bench and started drawing with a piece of chalk over it; Ezio came closer and saw the sketch his friend made. Wondering what was his friend planning, he asked:

– A hand pointing? 

– It's pointing to where you should sit– he replied simply, standing up– So, sit!

He did not understand it at all, and a little distrustful, he sat as instructed.

– Yes, _maestro_.

Leonardo kept looking around them to be sure there were no guards or Borgia messengers close to them. He sat beside Ezio slowly, with no eye contact, or visible communication, as if they did not know each other. 

Silently he requested him the double blade and gave him several thousands of Florins.

– _Bene_. I will return shortly.

He stood up and left the assassin on the bench for several hours. A little more than usual of what he spent on his workshop. He saw people coming and going, homeless men, old women asking for coin, almost-dead bodies dragging on the floor... The Borgias had brought to nothing the enormous and beautiful city of Roma. They even took the light and youth away from Leonardo. His hair and beard were longer and messier, with a shade of silver on them. His face, once cheerful and full of joy, seemed dark and haggard: bitterness took over his bright blue eyes. He could not help to feel guilty. He let the Borgias to do all this mess, to destroy all they could. 

After a few hours, Leonardo was back with the requested weapon. He quietly sat beside him again and managed to give him the item, without saying a word. 

– Now I can kill double the guards.

Leonardo went away without even saying goodbye. He did the same, wanting to begin with the destruction of the machines his old friend designed for the Borgias. 

He began with a machine called “Naval Cannon” which was like a carriage with fire cannons attached for an attack in motion. After that, he went after a Bomber and ended with a Tank. Every time he ruined a machine, he went to a bench with the hand Leonardo drew and requested a new weapon. 

But Ezio knew it was not the same as before. Although his friend kept helping him and designing the tools for him, it was not the same as before. He didn’t even smile. So serious and silent wasn’t like him, and Ezio hated it. 

He hated it so bad he needed to change it. He needed his old friend back, his warmness. He wanted to regain the light of his eyes and face, the freedom he had lost: he was going to liberate his best friend from the Borgias.

* * *

Once in the Tiberius Island Hideout, he gathered some apprentices to help him trace a plan to rescue the engineer. He knew how to break into the _Castello_ but did not know the exact location of his friend. And the landlords doubled the guards after Caterina’s liberation.

– We could kill them with Arrow Storms and clear the way in!

– Don’t be dumb, Paolo! –yelled Annetta– the Arrow Storms are only for a group of guards! We need to enter and kill them noiselessly.

– And without leaving traces –Bianca added.

Ezio kept rubbing his chin, thinking, and rethinking. 

– You’re leaving your male comrades behind, girls! 

They nodded gracefully.

– But how can we pass the guards from the main gate? –Rinaldo asked.

– I can hire some courtesans to distract them.

– We could blend with the courtesans! –Valeria suggested, excitedly– We are ladies too, right?

They got suddenly wrapped in a cold silence.

– Valeria, we cannot _blend_ with them! Our attires will be detected!

– Oh, you are right…

Ezio smiled with a very wicked thought on his mind.

– You _could_ blend with them, indeed -he finally said- Valeria, Annetta, and Bianca, you go to the _Rosa in Fiore_ and speak with Claudia. You will properly blend with the courtesans if you look and act like them!

– But _maestro_ , we are not that type--

– It is a very important mission. You will carry hidden weapons so you can ask the guards about Leonardo and finish them in silence while they are distracted by your… magic. 

– It sounds like a very good plan –said Annetta– we can go in pairs, each one of us teamed up with a courtesan. The courtesan will _flirt out_ the information, and we kill them afterwards.

By the end of the day, the Assassins Guild's main room was crowded with a group of six courtesans, three of them being undercover assassins. Valeria and Bianca looked very comfortable in their notched and revealing dresses, but Annetta seemed uneasy wrapped in them. Ezio saw how Rinaldo and Paolo were almost dribbling at their mates.

– So, you have to move slowly, trying to show and not to show at the same time– said Giuliana, locking on Anetta– Your sheer clothing will be doing most part of the job.

– Too sheer for my concern– buffed Annetta angrily.

– Ah, _mia cara_ , you need to be more receptive, more delicate. You need to practice.

– I just need to kill the guards!!!

– They will not trust you if you behave like a savage, you know!

– I’m no whore either!

The quarrel got hot and the master had to push in.

– Annetta! What is the problem? Don’t you want to collaborate with the mission? –he said walking towards the female assassin– I can have you replaced. 

– _Messere_ , I don’t feel like playing a courtesan, but I really want to go on this mission.

– So then, do as Giuliana say.

– Yes, _messere_.

Defeated, she approached the red-haired courtesan, who smiled triumphantly. 

– I believe you are shy, _bella ragazza,_ so let’s try your interaction with gentlemen– she pointed at Rinaldo. He seemed to awake from a daydream.

– WHAT?

– Go and try to persuade him, let him fall into you– she said softly.

– BUT WHAT-- 

– Annetta! –Ezio grunted.

– FINE! –she stomped towards her mate.

– Walk softly to him as if you are willing to deliver your body to him -Giuliana instructed- Yes. Yes… now move your hands as inviting him to dance with you… yes… 

Rinaldo fell quickly. Annetta was very beautiful and the dress and cleavage were killing him. 

– You must let him touch you, to know you won’t back off. Smile at him and look him in the eye… yes…

– YOU BASTARD!! 

Rinaldo’s head ended up on the floor next to the center table. 

– But she said… I had to touch you…

Ezio shook his head from side to side and Giuliana rubbed her head.

– This will take the whole damn day…

* * *

It was a large group that was hiding his presence, and people were looking at them, incredibly beautiful ladies waving hands and flinging kisses to random men in the way. The assassin suppressed his laughter by seeing how his apprentices were so good at humming and smiling. He hired another group of courtesans on the way to distract the four guards that kept the main gate of the _Castello_ , just as planned.

Once inside, he hid while Annetta, Bianca and Valeria parted in teams with the courtesans to begin their mission. He followed all the hallways of the castle removing the dead bodies and tossing them down the basement into a haystack that was under a trapdoor. 

He followed Bianca as she was the closest one to him and heard the conversation of the guard and the courtesan.

– So, is the _artista_ working here! I’d love to meet him, you know!

– _Mía bella_ , I can take you up there now if you want –said the guard faintly while the courtesan was dancing around him. Bianca just smiled shyly and kept humming.

– No! _Lo faresti per me?_

– He is in the upper chamber, locked in his workshops and finishing designs for our master, _piu bella donna_.

That was all the information Ezio needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this story 5 years ago, and now is when I'm posting it.  
> Shame.


End file.
